Hurricane Ivan tore through the Cayman Islands on Sunday, causing severe destruction across the territory. Buildings were toppled, roofs were stripped away, streets flooded, and vehicles were swept off by rushing water. The storm hammered the islands for more than eight hours.
Officials confirmed widespread damage but reported no casualties. Nearly every home on the islands lost at least a portion of its roof, and some residences were entirely gutted by wind and floodwater. At Mariners Cove on Grand Cayman, one apartment building was pushed completely across a road. Power lines fell and cellular networks went dark.
The government noted that while water damage was extensive, most structures remained intact. Britain's HMS Richmond, anchored offshore, readied its helicopter to conduct a damage survey.
Cabinet Secretary Orrett Connor expressed confidence in a quick recovery, saying the islands had bounced back from hurricanes before. Authorities said they were working to protect the financial services sector and restore tourism as rapidly as possible. The Cayman Islands are widely known as a banking center and a scuba diving destination.
Ivan had already killed at least 63 people across the Caribbean before striking the Caymans, and was tracking toward western Cuba, with Florida and Louisiana potentially in its path later in the week.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in September 2004, in its own words.